1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to badge manufacturing, and particularly to apparatus for assembling a plurality of components into unitary laminated badges.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various equipment has been developed to manufacture badges and buttons for fastening on clothing by means of safety-like pins. Prior badge manufacturing apparatus typically requires several operations involving various cumbersome manipulations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,019 discloses a die set combination for making badges that requires at least three manual inversions of the die set combination during the assembly process. It is apparent that the apparatus of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,019 is not suited for low cost, high volume badge production.
Other drawbacks of prior die sets include non-interchangability of the dies between automatic and manually operated badge making machines. Also, various parts of some known die sets, including those of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,019 are held together by manually actuated latches of different types. Manual latching and unlatching operations are inefficient and inappropriate for high production.
Prior machines for use in connection with the die sets are also handicapped by various deficiencies. Some known machines require manual or other mechanically induced rotation of the die punch to provide resistance to punch motion during the assembly process. Such rotation requires either fatiguing manipulations of the punch by the machine operator or expensive mechanisms to rotate the punch under power. Some prior machines are capable of automatically assemblying badges by properly positioning the die sets in synchronization with the punch motion, but such machines employ costly and complicated drive components for positioning the dies. For example, one known machine uses two separate motors and drive mechanisms that are clutched together to synchronize the punch and die motions. Repeated engagement and disengagement of clutches is inefficient and causes clutch wear, which eventually results in timing problems.
Thus, a need exists for badge making equipment suitable for efficent high volume button and badge assembly.